Police: Berlin man points rifle at sheriff's deputy

A sheriff's deputy responding to a death threat complaint found himself threatened by a gun Thursday, police say.

Deputies from the Worcester County Sheriff's Office responded to the area of Evans Road in Berlin on Jan. 4 to investigate a complaint that a resident was receiving death threats, Lt. Edward Schreier of the Worcester County Sheriff's Office said in a press release.

The first responding deputy saw Paul Edward Koehrsen, 47 of Berlin, in the garage of the residence. The deputy knocked and announced himself, and Koehrsen pointed a rifle at the deputy, Schreier said.

Additional deputies and members of the Berlin police responded to the scene, and took Koehrsen into custody without further incident, Schreier said.

Koehrsen was charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, felony using a firearm in a violent crime, and intoxicated endangerment, police said. He was held without bond at the Worcester County Jail.